It was an unexpected end to an unpleasant week for Carlton Cole. Last Tuesday, in the early hours of the morning, the West Ham United striker was arrested on suspicion of drink driving. That evening a foot injury kept him out of his team's disappointing Carling Cup defeat at Watford. In the following days, as news of his arrest broke, he was fined two weeks' wages and warned by Gianfranco Zola about his future conduct. But by the weekend he had recovered from injury, scored in an excellent away win and been given free licence by West Ham's manager to enjoy a good night out.

"If he plays like that he can go out," said Zola. "Everybody makes mistakes and that's what I told him. As long as he takes it in the right way, you accept your responsibilities and you realise you have made a mistake. There is only one way to react - to pay a fine, as he did, and help the team on the pitch. He has done fantastic."

So happy was Zola with his striker's performance that he suggested that the watching Fabio Capello might consider adding the player to future squads. "If he carries on like this," said the Italian, "he's going to be important not only for us. If he improves his finishing, the way he works, he will be an unbelievable player."

"The club has been very supportive," said Cole. "It hasn't been the best of weeks but I'll take my punishment. You can't do things like that and be a top player. These are all learning curves for me and I've learned my lesson. I won't make a mistake like this again.

"I'm not an alcoholic. Everyone will tell you that usually I'm the first one in and the last one out at training. I hadn't been out for so long. The one time I go out I get caught for it, so the past has come back to bite me. I let the club down and I'm sorry to the fans. I have had a discussion with the manager and the board, and I have apologised for being stupid. These things happen. Hopefully I can keep doing the job on the field."

Fortunes can change very quickly in football, and the turnaround in Cole's prospects was positively pedestrian in comparison with that of his team. Having barely mustered a single attack in 42 miserable minutes, they left the field at half-time leading by two goals and one man.

The catalyst was Matthew Etherington, who in the 39th minute was fouled by Paul Konchesky and writhed around so convincingly most observers must have expected him to limp immediately to the tunnel. Instead he sprinted down the right to set up Cole's opener and then raced down the centre to prod Mark Noble's pass past the onrushing Mark Schwarzer. When, moments before the interval, Andrew Johnson was booked for a second time West Ham's first away win since they last came here in February was secure.

With four former West Ham players in their line-up there was no lack of incentive for Fulham, but Danny Murphy scored from their only good chance of the second half, a penalty. Perhaps the strain of facing their old club was too much; Jimmy Bullard, who progressed no further than the reserves in 2½ years, wasted a succession of set-pieces, the last and most galling a free-kick, deep into stoppage time, that he sent into the wall as his entire team waited for a cross. The one player to make any impression on a former team-mate was John Pantsil, and he only achieved that by stamping on Robert Green's hand.

"I went for the ball and was late getting there," the Ghanaian explained later. "I slipped on the wet grass. I am very sorry, I did not mean to do that. The West Ham fans were very good to me last season. I welcomed them to Fulham and I hope they can forget this. I still love them."

He should not worry too much - everyone at West Ham seems to be in a pretty forgiving mood.